Silvercrest Mobile Air Conditioner Review

Late July is the hottest time of the year in France, and if you have rooms under a south-facing roof, you’ll likely struggle with the heat.

After purchasing two air coolers from Lidl, which work great when it’s under 30 degrees, we decided to try the SILVERCREST® Mobile Air Conditioner.

What is an Air Conditionner ?

An air conditioner is a device that cools and dehumidifies indoor air for thermal comfort. It typically works by extracting heat from the indoor air and transferring it outside, using a refrigeration cycle.

Modern air conditioners can also filter the air, removing dust and other particles, and can often be used to heat the air as well in colder months. They are commonly used in homes, offices, and vehicles to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

How refrigeration works ?

Refrigeration works by transferring heat from one location to another, usually from inside a space (like a refrigerator or room) to the outside, using a refrigeration cycle. Here’s a basic overview of how this process works:

1. Evaporation: The cycle begins with the refrigerant (a special fluid) in the evaporator coils inside the space to be cooled. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air inside, causing it to evaporate and turn into a low-pressure gas. This removes heat from the air, cooling the space.

2. Compression: The low-pressure gas refrigerant is then drawn into the compressor. The compressor pressurizes the gas, raising its temperature and pressure significantly.

3. Condensation: The hot, high-pressure gas then flows into the condenser coils, usually located outside the space being cooled. Here, the refrigerant releases its absorbed heat to the outside air, causing it to condense back into a high-pressure liquid.

4. Expansion: The high-pressure liquid refrigerant then passes through an expansion valve or metering device, which reduces its pressure and temperature as it enters the evaporator coils. The cycle then repeats.

This continuous cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation, and expansion is what allows the refrigeration system to keep removing heat from the interior space and release it outside, thereby maintaining a cool temperature inside.

SILVERCREST® Mobile Air Conditionner SMK 7000 B2, 785 W

The Silvercrest Mobile Air Conditioner is one of the best deals available in terms of price. Previously, a unit of this kind would easily cost over 450 euros.

With rising electricity costs, air conditioner manufacturers likely had to reduce their margins to keep selling their products.

The FAR CM5-23 in Conforama looks suspiciously similar

Nowadays, you can easily find these devices in the 220-300 euros price range. It seems like most of these units are essentially the same, made in China, and then rebranded and occasionally slightly improved.

The model sold by Lidl is 7000 BTU and 785W. This unit can refresh a room between 30 to 45 m².

Features

3-in-1: cooler, dehumidifier, and fan
2 fan speeds
Automatic oscillation function (horizontal)
Adjustable temperature from 16 to 31 °C
Suitable for rooms of 30 to 45 m³
Timer function: 1-24 hours with digital clock
Dehumidification function up to 1.5 l/h (room at 30 °C/80% RH)
Room thermostat
Cooling power: 2.06 kW (7,000 BTU)
Energy efficiency class: A
Airflow: 300 m³/hour
Control panel with Soft-Touch controls
Mobile thanks to transport wheels
Removable air filter
Included accessories: 1x remote control with AAA battery, 1x exhaust hose, 1x hose adapter (for window), 1x hose adapter (for air conditioner), 1x window seal for tilt window, 1x filter (integrated)

Technical Specifications

Power supply: 220-240 V / 50 Hz
Cable length: 1.8 m (0.75mm²)
Hose length: 1.5 m
Inner hose diameter: 13.2 cm
Outer hose diameter: 14.5 cm
Cooling power: 7000 BTU (2 kW)
Speed settings: 2 (Low/High)
Horizontal oscillation angle (automatic): 75°; vertical (manual): 75°
Noise level: 65 dB(A)
Energy consumption: 0.785 kWh
Natural refrigerant: R290
EER: 2.6
Water tank capacity: 0.5 L

Material

• Plastic

Dimensions

• Approximately 31.5 x 33 x 67.5 cm

Weight

• Approximately 17 kg

What’s in the box?

The box includes the mobile AC unit with integrated wheels, which is great. In separate bags, you’ll find accessories like a remote control with batteries and components to vent hot air outside.

These accessories include a fabric that can be attached to an open window, a compressible plastic hose for hot air evacuation, and a plastic adapter to connect the hose to the machine and out the window.

The ergonomics

The first thing to do when installing an AC is wait 24 hours or at least 12 hours to make sure the coolant, gaz and lubrifiant are in their intended position.

Reading the manual is also important : https://manuall.fr/silvercrest-smk-7000-b2-climatiseur/

Once this is done, the unit is actually pretty straight forward to be honest. Clip-sing the evacuation on the back and screwing the plastic parts are easy.

There are only a few touch-sensitive buttons on the unit, which is a positive feature, as it reduces the risk of mechanical failures or broken parts.

The unit can oscillate the air from left to right, although it can be challenging to see the exact position when adjusting it.

It offers two fan speeds, which should be sufficient for most needs. There’s a timer button for use before sleeping, and it has different modes including cooling, drying, and fan-only.

The temperature can be adjusted using the minus and plus buttons, with a range from 16°C to 31°C, if I recall correctly.

Please note that this unit does not function as a heater; it is designed solely as an air conditioner.

A remote control with batteries is included, allowing you to operate the AC from a distance, such as from the bed or sofa. It’s an essential feature, and it’s great that the remote and batteries come included at this price point.

Performances

Unlike air coolers, this mobile AC should be positioned a bit away from people but not too far from a window.

It is designed to cool a room quickly. For instance, if you set the temperature to 22 degrees Celsius, it may take about 20 to 30 minutes to cool the room.

Initially, you should set the unit to 16°C or its lowest setting to speed up the process. This is when the unit will consume the most power, which can be costly in Europe these days.

I’ve observed that only the left half of the front vent actually has airflow, as shown in this picture. The air only flows from that side of the vent, even though when you place your hand in front, it feels like the air is coming out with equal force across the entire vent.

When using the swing mode, it appears to blow more on the right side than the left. I suspect the air is already being channeled from left to right.

While its performance may not match that of aircraft systems or traditional AC units with external components, it still does a commendable job, especially for cooling a room.

One of the main challenges with these types of devices is effectively venting the hot air without compromising thermal insulation.

Compared to an Air Conditionner from a vehicle

Compared to, say, a car’s air conditioner, this mobile device appears much less powerful when it comes to cooling.

On a night when the temperature was around 31°C, I set the AC to 16°C, but the air coming out was just below 20°C. Perhaps with more time, it would have cooled further, but honestly, I expected the air to feel much colder within a few minutes.

To be fair, I believe that if the exhaust air is set up correctly and the unit isn’t pulling in hot air, it could cool more quickly.

Consumption

We have no definitive way to verify this, other than possibly using a device to measure the power consumption of the unit.

The AC is rated Class A with an EER of 2.6, which I believe is quite good for the price.

Noise

The AC is quite noisy even in its first speed, especially if you are near althought to be fair, that’s the nature of fans and after a while you’ll get use to it.

We always recommend people to use Noise cancelling headphones such as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. They are very effective at removing these constant frequencies.

Verdict

8.2 out of 10.

You really can’t ask for more at the price of 179 euros, and sometimes they go on sale for 169 euros. For this price, you’re getting a mobile air conditioner that used to cost two or three times more.

It’s an ideal solution for small rooms and extremely hot days, which are relatively rare in France. The only drawback is that it cannot double as a heater in winter, so it will need to be stored until the warmer days return.

Keep in mind that electricity costs can be high, so while the unit itself may be affordable, your utility bills could quickly add up.

Most people should use multiple Air Cooler that consumes one tenth of the energy.